xxix, 543 pages ; 18 cm

Examines the history of speculative thought by focusing on such dominant personalities as Plato, Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche

"Washington Square Press Philosophy."

Includes bibliographical references and index

Preface to the second edition -- Introduction: On the uses of philosophy -- Plato: -- Context of Plato -- Socrates -- Preparation of Plato -- Ethical problem -- Political problem -- Psychological problem -- Psychological solution -- Political solution -- Ethical solution -- Criticism -- Aristotle And Greek Science: -- Historical background -- Work of Aristotle -- Foundation of logic -- Organization of science: -- Greek science before Aristotle -- Aristotle as a naturalist -- Foundation of biology -- Metaphysics and the nature of God -- Psychology and the nature of art -- Ethics and the nature of happiness -- Politics: -- Communism and conservatism -- Marriage and education -- Democracy and aristocracy -- Criticism -- Later life and death -- Francis Bacon: -- From Aristotle to the Renaissance -- Political career of Francis Bacon -- Essays -- Great reconstruction: -- Advancement of learning -- New Organon -- Utopia of science -- Criticism -- Epilogue -- Spinoza: -- Historical and biographical: -- Odyssey of the Jews -- Education of Spinoza -- Excommunication -- Retirement and death -- Treatise on religion and the state -- Improvement of the intellect -- Ethics: -- Nature and God -- Matter and mind -- Intelligence and morals -- Religion and immortality -- Political treatise -- Influence of Spinoza -- Voltaire and the French Enlightenment: -- Paris: Cedipe -- London: Letters on the English -- Cirey: the Romances -- Potsdam and Frederick -- Les Delices: the Essay on morals -- Ferney: Candide -- Encyclopedia and the philosophic dictionary -- Ecrasez 'Infame -- Voltaire and Rousseau -- Denouement -- Immanuel Kant And German Idealism: -- Roads to Kant -- From Voltaire to Kant -- From Locke to Kant -- From Rousseau to Kant -- Kant himself -- Critique of pure reason: -- Transcendental esthetic -- Transcendental analytic -- Transcendental dialectic -- Critique of practical reason -- On religion and reason -- On politics and eternal peace -- Criticism and estimate -- Note on Hegel -- Schopenhauer: -- Age -- Man -- World as idea -- World as will: -- Will to live -- Will to reproduce -- World as evil -- Wisdom of life: -- Philosophy -- Genius -- Art -- Religion -- Wisdom of death -- Criticism -- Herbert Spencer: -- Comte and Darwin -- Development of Spencer -- First principles: -- Unknowable -- Evolution -- Biology: the evolution of life -- Psychology: the evolution of mind -- Sociology: the evolution of society -- Ethics: the evolution of morals -- Criticism: -- First principles -- Biology and psychology -- Sociology and ethics -- Conclusion -- Friedrich Neitzsche: -- Lineage of Nietzsche -- Youth -- Nietzsche and Wagner -- Song of Zarathustra -- Hero-morality -- Superman -- Decadence -- Aristocracy -- Criticism -- Finale -- Contemporary European Philosophers: -- Henri Bergson: -- Revolt against materialism -- Mind and brain -- Creative evolution -- Criticism -- Benedetto Croce: -- Man -- Philosophy of the spirit -- What is beauty? -- Criticism -- Bertrand Russell: -- Logician -- Reformer -- Epilogue -- Contemporary American Philosophers: -- Introduction: -- George Santayana: -- Biographical -- Scepticism and animal faith -- Reason in science -- Reason in religion -- Reason in society -- Comment -- William James: -- Personal -- Pragmatism -- Pluralism -- Comment -- John Dewey: -- Education -- Instrumentalism -- Science and politics -- Conclusion -- Glossary -- Index

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